


Lonely Bell

by defuse00



Category: Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magika | Puella Magi Madoka Magica
Genre: Canon Compliant, Gen, Training
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-15
Updated: 2019-11-15
Packaged: 2021-01-31 00:50:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,339
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21437476
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/defuse00/pseuds/defuse00
Summary: Homura needs to learn how to shoot better, and learning from Mami is only logical. But learning and teaching will be hard for both of them, even if they don't know why.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 30





	Lonely Bell

Homura has started to get familiar with the loop that she's made for herself. Hurry out of the hospital in time to save the cat, join Madoka's class and discourage her from making a bargain with Kyubey. Events go out of control at that point. Sayaka has started taking a deal of her own and becoming a witch at the most inconvenient of times. Homura has to kill her too often. It bothers her a little, but she has more important things to focus on.

Such as getting better at saving her friends from witches. She's been the least useful member of any team she's helped, and any small mistake can lead to a cascade of bad consequences. Maybe if she's perfect in every fight, Madoka will have nothing to worry about.

Homura spends every spare moment of the loop preparing for combat. A stroll through the school for guns, a trip to the store for ingredients and a night at her apartment to put the bombs together. She practices her skills when she isn't building up a reserve of Grief Seeds or protecting Madoka. But she's hit a limit on how well she can aim. Her technique feels poor, recoil throwing off her shots. She can fire a dozen bullets in the time someone else could fire one, but it doesn't matter if none of them hit.

This loop, working with Mami to handle some witches that Homura knows have a chance to kill Madoka, she connects the dots. Mami almost never misses. Her shots are perfect despite the massive guns and sudden movements of her fighting style. Homura sometimes misses shots at a moderate range, while Mami can rescue her from an unexpected attack while being half a block away. She needs to learn how to shoot, and she has a functional resource right here.

Now all she has to do is get over herself.

* * *

"Hey, Tomoe-san?"

"Yes?" Mami is cynical of Homura's motives. The girl might try to hide beyond her glasses, but she acts more experienced than she claims to be. And there's a look in her eye that tells Mami that Homura isn't as innocent as she acts. But ever since Kyoko left, she's missed having someone to lead.

"I've noticed that you're very skilled with your guns," Homura tells her, looking down, "Can you teach me?"

"A good deal of that is magic, Homura-san," Mami explains, "I had very little experience with guns before I became a magical girl. I doubt I would have gotten this talented the normal way."

"Still-", Homura says, trembling, "I want to help as much as possible. Anything you could teach would be more than enough."

Mami's heart melts. As unusual as this girl has been, it's obvious that she is being truthful here. And hey, she should find out exactly how much her magic has enhanced her ability.

And the look in Homura's eyes might mean that she needs another kind of help too.

"Of course. There's a range I use on occasion, in the western part of the city. Walk with me."

"A- Actually, can I get us there sooner?” Homura blurts out, “I have an obligation this evening."

"Certainly."

Homura wraps her fingers around Mami's wrist and they set off walking in a still moonscape. Mami takes the opportunity to see the world as Homura sees it, unmoving and quiet. Waiting to be acted on.

"Do you ever do anything naughty when you've stopped time?"

Homura's figure stutters in time, Mami's words causing a visceral reaction. It's the most real emotion that she's seen from the girl.

"N- n- no!" she says, aghast, "I wouldn't dare!"

"Of course. I'm just teasing you."

"Well, don't," Homura pouts, "I don't want to be accused of that."

"Sorry. I didn't think you had such a strong reaction to anything."

"Is that why you're suspicious of me?"

Mami starts. "I'm not- okay, I am a little suspicious of you. Kyubey doesn't know where you came from, you say you want to help people but you spend a lot of time on your own projects and you seem to know more about me than you should. But-" she raises a hand to stop Homura's response, "I want this cooperation between us to work, so I'm extending you some trust. Can you do the same for me?"

"I trust you," Homura says with too much conviction.

Mami laughs. "It'll be a few years before you can lie to my face, Homura-san. Try something else."

"I want to learn to shoot better."

"That was an easy one."

"I want to help people," Homura tries.

"You aren't sure if you mean that or not."

"Sorry."

"You shouldn't be sorry about how you feel,” Mami responds, “Sometimes it's hard to care about the things you want to care about. I know I'm tempted towards cynicism often."

"You are?" Homura asks.

"Well sure. This whole magical girl business isn't very fair to those of us who try to do good. If you're selfish, you tend to last longer. But maybe if we work together, we'll figure something out."

"That's a very nice thought, Tomoe-san."

"You don't think that's true, do you?"

"I think this relationship will be good for both of us,” Homura states, “I don't know if it will ever help anyone else."

"Hmmm. I guess that's works for me." Mami looks around. "Do you ever find the stopped time... creepy?"

"No," Homura tells her. "It feels like I'm finally free of distractions. That I can focus on what's important."

"That's fair. I imagine that your own magic would feel safe to you. Regardless, we're here."

The location is a basement of a deserted parking garage, empty besides a few decaying cars and the marks of Mami's practice. Homura looks at the basic range with a neutral expression.

"I know, it isn't the nicest spot. But it's good enough to shoot cans."

"How do you learn to shoot moving targets?"

"Toss up a can and take it out of the air. But I think you should worry about stationary targets first."

Homura turns her face away. "Okay."

They spend a few hours, Mami improving Homura's skills without much of a problem. Homura knows a lot about shooting, she's just picked up a few bad habits. Mami corrects her, soft touches moving Homura's arms and shoulders into position. Homura flinches from the touch at first, once using her magic to give herself some time alone. But she gets used to it and soon reacts to Mami's hands with all the emotion of a stone.

Homura learns like she's starving for this. Once she learns how to hold the gun and set herself up for the recoil she's almost as good as Mami.

"Th- thank you for all the help, Tomoe-san. I should go now."

"Are you sure? I think you've still got time to have some cake at my place."

Homura shakes her head, not letting Mami see her face.

"If you think so. Be careful out there!"

Homura vanishes without a word. Mami sighs. Hopefully, that girl turns out okay.

* * *

Homura allows her feelings to show as she leaves the building, hazy sunlight the singular witness. She hadn't been prepared for the emotional turmoil of letting Mami so close to her. It was disturbing to be reminded of what she was missing, the concern and care that she loved Madoka for giving her.

It wasn't a betrayal of Madoka to allow it from Mami. But she ran from it anyway. Guilt, her suppressed desire for human comfort, and her natural shyness encourage her to leave as soon as she can. She doesn't want to get attached to Mami.

The only evidence she leaves of her outburst is a trail of suspended tears, her face a composed mask by the time she reaches her apartment.

* * *

Maybe this connection is why she forgives Mami the next five times she ruins a timeline.

* * *

By the time she can lie to Mami's face, she no longer cares to.

**Author's Note:**

> Based off this fanart: https://calissoncadett.tumblr.com/post/188244734574/more-pmmm-stuff-ok-so-both-mami-and-homura-have


End file.
